Atlanta Radio Ratings - December 2022

[pjc1961]

Covering the survey period from Thu. 11/10/2022 thru Wed. 12/7/2022:
Age 6+ overall RadioInsight Atlanta Ratings Jul-Dec. 2022

Top 5+ demo rankings for ages 25-54, 18-34 + 18-49:
AllAccess.com Research Director Inc/XTrends PPM Ratings Analysis - Dec. 2022 - scroll down to see Atlanta market

Age 25-54: 1. WAMJ 2. WFSH (up from #7) 3. WSRV 4. WSB-FM 5. WVEE 6. WWWQ T9. WSB-AM (down from #T4) T9. WABE T9. WWPW
Age 18-34: 1. WFSH (up from #6) 2. WWWQ T3. WVEE T3. WSB-FM 5. WWPW 6. WSRV (down from #2)
Age 18-49: 1. WAMJ 2. WFSH (up from #9) 3. WSB-FM 4. WVEE 5. WWWQ 6. WSRV

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Age 25-54: 1. WAMJ 2. WFSH (up from #7)
Age 18-34: 1. WFSH (up from #6)
Age 18-49: 1. WAMJ 2. WFSH (up from #9)

If you like all-Christmas, this seems to be a positive ranker for you. I'm puzzled by the popularity of all-Christmas, but it looks solid across all demographics.

 

[RadioDoogie]

It’s crystal clear after looking at the latest ratings why they flipped WNNX. Is this the first time WSTR has dipped below 2? Both CHRs are down. Is CHR in a slump right now?

 

[secondchoice]

If you like all-Christmas, this seems to be a positive ranker for you. I'm puzzled by the popularity of all-Christmas, but it looks solid across all demographics.

IMHO there are at least 2 reasons All Christmas works:

#1 63% of the US population identify as Christians*. I wonder why All Christmas does not get more ratings. The TV folks have a lot of Christmas specials with a lot of commercials.

#2 Most of the Christmas music is “Cheery” “up lifting”, or “positive” about the birth of Jesus or Santa and the reindeer.

After this election I personally needed something to help me forget about the “scorched earth” political commercials. Georgia has the 50% plus one vote rule so we usually get an extra month of negative commercials. (It was refreshing going to Florida for a family get together this Thanksgiving and have a week of no political negativity on the radio and TV.)

I am surprised that more non-commercial stations do not play Christmas music with the “This hour of your Christmas favorites was made possible by _____” and the “not a commercial” commercial announcement.


*https://ministrywatch.com/pew-resea...at-identifies-as-christian-continues-to-drop/

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Is this the first time WSTR has dipped below 2?

I always take both the December and Holiday monthlies with a grain of salt even for the stations that do not play Christmas music.

That said, I consider Star 94 to be the station to watch in 2023. It's a big signal not pulling numbers commensurate with its value.

Prior to its flip to Rhythmic AC, Audacy/Entercom did a perceptual that indicated Rhythmic AC would work better in the market than Adult Hits. At this point, however, I wonder whether Star will take a chance on Adult Hits.

Time will tell.

 

[jabba17]

I always take both the December and Holiday monthlies with a grain of salt even for the stations that do not play Christmas music.

That said, I consider Star 94 to be the station to watch in 2023. It's a big signal not pulling numbers commensurate with its value.

Prior to its flip to Rhythmic AC, Audacy/Entercom did a perceptual that indicated Rhythmic AC would work better in the market than Adult Hits. At this point, however, I wonder whether Star will take a chance on Adult Hits.

Time will tell.

Yeah, the Holy Mackerel always does great in the December and Holiday books, since B98.5 dropped all-Christmas years back.

The folks at Audacy have to be keeping an eye on Adult Hits WSTR-HD2, which is tied for the best share of any HD signal without a translator with sister WVEE-HD2. Wonder how those two HD signals are doing in the money demos.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I don’t consider WSTR HD-2 to be Adult Hits (aka Jack-FM, or Chuck, Bob or whatever). Star HD-2 is a more pop version of Classic Hits than 102.1 Fox FM. I enjoy Star HD-2.

What I don’t understand is why they encode for the PPM when they don’t sell spots or even bonus advertisers of the other Audacy stations. David, any insight on this?

 

[davideduardo]

I don’t consider WSTR HD-2 to be Adult Hits (aka Jack-FM, or Chuck, Bob or whatever). Star HD-2 is a more pop version of Classic Hits than 102.1 Fox FM. I enjoy Star HD-2.

What I don’t understand is why they encode for the PPM when they don’t sell spots or even bonus advertisers of the other Audacy stations. David, any insight on this?

I doubt that their blanket contract makes it any more expensive to add the HD channels. It is strange that they don't use them for bonus add-ons or for some other kind of incentive.

 

[WCDukenfield]

Xperi charges commercial stations a percentage of revenue, so there is a disincentive to sell ads on HD2-4.

 

[RadioDoogie]

I always take both the December and Holiday monthlies with a grain of salt even for the stations that do not play Christmas music.

That said, I consider Star 94 to be the station to watch in 2023. It's a big signal not pulling numbers commensurate with its value.

Prior to its flip to Rhythmic AC, Audacy/Entercom did a perceptual that indicated Rhythmic AC would work better in the market than Adult Hits. At this point, however, I wonder whether Star will take a chance on Adult Hits.

Time will tell.

Is it possible they could go back to Hot AC?

 

[jt99]

Is it possible they could go back to Hot AC?

With WSB-FM seemingly moving closer and closer to Hot AC as time goes on, I think it would be very smart for WSTR to move towards a more traditional AC, similar to the many successful iHeartMedia AC stations across the country. Adult Hits or Classic Hits would be very smart as well, though it would likely sound closer to Fox FM than WSTR-HD2.

 

[101tm]

Hot AC worked really well for 94.1 the last time…B98.5 has that audience.

AC might be a good option. However IMO the Star branding needs to be trashed if any change were to be made.

 

[BarryATL]

Both WSB and WABE took hits in this book. Is that normal?

 

[jabba17]

Both WSB and WABE took hits in this book. Is that normal?

It's the first book after the election, so I would figure that to be expected.

 

[A_b_m_90]

I think Star should go AC/Adult Hits.
Just do it. If it doesn't work - then it doesn't.
B 98.5 could use a dose of hefty competition.

I personally think Audacy AC's are well-run and they have a good selection of variety.

 

[RadioDoogie]

I think Star should go AC/Adult Hits.
Just do it. If it doesn't work - then it doesn't.
B 98.5 could use a dose of hefty competition.

I personally think Audacy AC's are well-run and they have a good selection of variety.

The current playlist at Star is not agreeing with me. I prefer how it sounded in the beginning. It was a wide open playlist. They seemed to have narrowed the playlist down now.

 

[tragic1027]

Stars format is awful now. Boring and predictable R&B Hiphop oldies station that occasionally plays Wham and disco. It's terrible. They removed all the dance/club songs and most of the synth pop. But their ratings have only stalled or gone down since doing so. Why do people think Atlanta hates dance music? I hope they fall and burn.

 

[upstate29651]

Why do people think Atlanta hates dance music?

Outside of the Buckhead set and the gay community, most in Atlanta do not like dance music. What you see portrayed on TV about Atlanta and her "scene" isn't always true.

Star stinks because they have no focus. Also with their format being a sub-set of CHR, ratings for that format are down nationwide as well.

 

[101tm]

And also - how tired and stale is the branding? When was “Star 94” or “Star 94.1” last successful and respected as a brand?

One of the dumbest things they did was keeping the name. It’s no Q, B98.5, V103, etc. It’s struggled for ages with the prior format of Hot AC, Adult CHR, etc. Q100 took the hit music listeners (and Power) and B98.5 was/is essentially a Hot AC…or very aggressive/modern AC. There was no love for the Star 94.1 brand then and there isn’t now. Time to retire that name and gut the station.

Stabilizing V103 might be hire on the list of priorities though.

 

[tragic1027]

And also - how tired and stale is the branding? When was “Star 94” or “Star 94.1” last successful and respected as a brand?

One of the dumbest things they did was keeping the name. It’s no Q, B98.5, V103, etc. It’s struggled for ages with the prior format of Hot AC, Adult CHR, etc. Q100 took the hit music listeners (and Power) and B98.5 was/is essentially a Hot AC…or very aggressive/modern AC. There was no love for the Star 94.1 brand then and there isn’t now. Time to retire that name and gut the station.

Stabilizing V103 might be hire on the list of priorities though.

I used to work at Star in the early 90s. When they wouldn't touch rap music with a 10 mile pole. So to have them playing all of it now and acting like this is their throwback history is laughable. I am glad Atlanta isn't buying it. As far as the dance goes, they really didn't stick with it long enough. It is like their ratings were not booming so they dropped it but kept the "feel good throwbacks" like Thats just the way it is some things (racism) will never change by 2Pac. Yeah what a feel good anthem! And their ratings have only gotten worse...so premature I think to just assume yanking dance was the solution. It must have tested well to start with it....?